In public transport vehicles particularly buses but also including rail cars, it is conventional to provide a structure having a side wall frame which is cladded on its inside and outside surfaces to form a side wall structure. Where windows are required, the frame defines a window opening with the cladding coming up to the edge of the window opening and leaving the window opening open for the insertion of a separate window frame structure which attaches to the frame of the side wall over the cladding and holds the window in place.
In most windows for such public transit vehicles, it is necessary to provide a window pane structure which pivots relative to the frame to allow an opening action for emergency escape.
There has been up till now a significant problem of moisture leakage in window structures of this type in that the moisture enters between a multi part window frame structure and the cladding, penetrating either the interior of the vehicle, or often more dangerously, into the wall structure of the vehicle causing hidden corrosion.
Some examples of window frame structures of this general type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,457 (Labrecque) assigned to Prevost and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,787,643 and 5,941,022 (Schmuck) assigned to Excel Industries.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved window assembly for mounting in the window opening of a public transit vehicle.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a public transit vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body having:
a root,
two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle,
a vehicle floor connected to the side walls and spanning therebetween;
each side wall including a plurality of window openings at spaced positions longitudinally of the side wall each for receiving a respective window;
each window including a rectangular window frame fastened to the side wall and carried thereby to surround the window opening defining a window plane parallel to the side wall;
the window frame comprising a pan defined by four side pan members each along a respective side of the window opening, each pan member being shaped in cross section to define a web portion generally at right angles to the window plane, an exterior flange connected to the web portion at an exterior edge thereof and extending generally at right angles to the web portion outwardly from the window opening and an interior flange connected to the web portion at an interior edge thereof and extending generally at right angles to the web portion inwardly into the window opening;
each window including a rectangular window pane structure having a window pane in the window plane and a surrounding frame attached to the pane;
the window pane structure being mounted in the window frame and including sealing elements butting against the window frame;
the web portion, exterior flange and interior flange being formed as an integral structure so as to prevent the penetration of exterior moisture therethrough to the interior of the vehicle.
Preferably the pan is attached to the side wall by a structural interconnection which is formed substantially wholly by an adhesive connection between the exterior flange and an adjacent surface of the side wall and an adhesive connection between the web portion and an adjacent surface of the side wall.
Preferably the side wall includes a side wall frame having four frame members each on a respective one of two sides, top and bottom respectively of the window opening, each frame member defining an exterior wall and a web wall and wherein the exterior flange is attached by adhesive to the exterior wall and the web portion is attached by adhesive to the web wall.
Preferably the pan is molded as an integral structure.
Preferably a bottom one of the pan members includes a further web portion attached to an outermost edge of the exterior flange and extending therefrom away from the window plane and a further flange portion attached to an outer edge of the further web portion and extending therefrom away from the window opening, wherein the side wall includes a cladding member carried thereby underneath the windows and wherein the further flange portion overlaps a top edge of the cladding member and is attached thereto by adhesive.
Preferably there is provided a support member for the pane structure along a top one of the pan members, the support member defining a hinge allowing pivotal movement of the pane structure about a horizontal axis from a closed position to an open position, the hinge being arranged above the web portion of the top pan member such that the frame members are inserted into the pan in the closed position and pivot out of the pan in the open position.
Preferably the frame members in the closed position abut the pan members so that the pan members and the frame members co-operate in providing structural strength for the window.
Preferably the hinge allows removal of the pane structure from the frame structure as an integral unit.
Preferably the hinge comprises a part cylindrical receptacle within which is received a part cylindrical insert of the pane structure allowing pivotal movement of the pane structure about a horizontal axis defined by the receptacle and wherein the part cylindrical receptacle and the part cylindrical insert are arranged such that the insert can be removed out of the receptacle in a transverse direction relative thereto after pivotal movement of the pane structure beyond a predetermined position thereof.
Preferably the insert includes end insert members therein extending axially beyond respective ends thereof and wherein the support member includes end mounting blocks thereon to prevent removal of the insert unless the mounting blocks are removed.
Preferably the support member forms part of a drip rail member attached to the side wall above the top pan member and defining a generally horizontal drip channel extending along the side wall.
Preferably the top pan member includes a flange portion extending upwardly therefrom and overlapped by the drip rail member.
Preferably the side wall includes a side wall cladding member mounted on the side wall above the window and wherein the cladding member has a bottom edge flange overlapping a top edge flange of the drip rail member.
Preferably the frame member of the pane structure includes a first portion adjacent the exterior flange portion and a second portion projecting across the web portion to a position adjacent the interior flange portion, and wherein the window pane is mounted on an exterior surface of the frame member and extends to a position on the frame member at the first portion so as to overlie at least a part of the exterior flange portion.
Preferably there is provided a resilient sealing member attached to the frame member and having a first lip overlying an edge of the window pane and a second lip bridging a space between the first portion of the frame member and the exterior flange portion.
Preferably there is provided a resilient seal between an interior surface of the first portion and an exterior surface of the exterior flange portion.
Preferably at least one of the frame members of the pane structure includes a latch lever pivotally mounted inside a hollow interior thereof, the latch lever being engageable with a pin member carried on the frame and projecting through the web of the pan at a position adjacent the latch lever for projecting into the hollow interior of said one of the frame members, the latch lever including a positive locking cam action on the pin.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a public transit vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body having:
a roof,
two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle,
a vehicle floor connected to the side walls and spanning therebetween;
each side wall including a plurality of window openings at spaced positions longitudinally of the side wall each containing a respective window;
each window including a rectangular window frame fastened to the side wall and carried thereby to surround the window opening defining a window plane parallel to the side wall;
the window frame pan comprising a pan defined by four side pan members each along a respective side of the window opening, each pan member being shaped in cross section to define a web portion generally at right angles to the window plane, an exterior flange connected to the web portion at an exterior edge thereof and extending generally at right angles to the web portion outwardly from the window opening and an interior flange connected to the web portion at an interior edge thereof and extending generally at right angles to the web portion inwardly into the window opening;
each window including a rectangular window pane structure having a window pane in the window plane and a surrounding frame attached to the pane;
the window pane structure being mounted in the window frame and including sealing elements butting against the window frame;
wherein there is provided a support member for the pane structure along a top one of the pan members, the support member defining a hinge allowing pivotal movement of the pane structure about a horizontal axis from a closed position to an open position, the hinge being arranged above the web portion of the top pan member such that the frame members are inserted into the pan in the closed position and pivot out of the pan in the open position.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a public transit vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body having:
a roof,
two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle,
a vehicle floor connected to the side walls and spanning therebetween;
each side wall including a plurality of window openings at spaced positions longitudinally of the side wall;
each window including a rectangular window frame fastened to the side wall and carried thereby to surround the window opening defining a window plane parallel to the side wall;
the window frame comprising a pan defined by four side pan members connected at corners of the pan, each pan member being shaped in cross-section to define a web portion generally at right angles to the window plane, an exterior flange connected to the web portion at an exterior edge thereof and extending generally at right angles to the web portion outwardly from the window opening and an interior flange connected to the web portion at an interior edge thereof and extending generally at right angles to the web portion inwardly into the window opening;
each window including a rectangular window pane structure having a window pane in the window plane and a surrounding frame attached to the pane;
the window pane structure being mounted in the window frame and including sealing elements butting against the window frame;
wherein at least one of the frame members of the pane structure includes a latch lever pivotally mounted inside a hollow interior thereof, the latch lever being engageable with a pin member carried on the frame and projecting through the web of the pan at a position adjacent the latch lever for projecting into the hollow interior of said one of the frame members, the latch lever including a jaw for receiving and engaging the pin, the jaw being arranged to provide a positive locking cam action on the pin.
Preferably the latch lever is provided in the bottom frame member.
Preferably the latch lever is operated by an actuating rod extending along the frame member and wherein there is provided an actuating handle mounted on the vehicle and pivotal relative thereto for driving movement of the actuating rod.